Hydraulic buffer.



Patented oct. 3|, |899.

No. s3a,|26.

T. c. FENToN. HYDRAULIC BUFFER.

(Application filed Mar. 6. 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1,

[(Nn Model.)

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@fyi-finesse@ www ma@ No. 636,|26. Patented' Oct. 3|, |8994.

' T. c. FENTON.

HYDRAULIC BUFFER.

[Appumon madman e; 1399. 'No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2` I 7,7 h ./r a

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

, THEODORE C. FENTON, OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY.

f HYDRAIULIC BUFFE'R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,126, dated October 31, 1899. Application led March 6, 1899. Serial No, 707,972. (No model.)

To otZZ whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, THEoDoRE C. FENTON, lieutenant United States Navy, stationed at Washington, inthe District of Oolumbia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydraulic Buers and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in buffers for use at railway-stations or on railway-cars or piers or for other like purposes; and it consists in providing a hydraulic buffer constructed as hereinafter described and containing the novel features hereinafterclaimed.

Reference is had tothe accompanying drawings, in which the same parts are indicated by the same letters throughout the several views.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation, partly in central vertical section, the said section being along the line l l of Fig. 3. Fig. 2 represents a plan ofthe buffer shown in Fig. l; and Fig. 3 represents a front view of the buffer shown in Figs. l and 2, butpartly in sec# tion along the line 3 3 of Figs. l and 2. Fig. Ll represents a front View of a modified form of buffer in which there are only two recoilcylinders instead of four, as shown in the other figures.

A represents a pedestal or frame on or in which the buffer is mounted, which is provided with flanges a at the base, by means of which the buffer may be secured to the platform of the station, the bottom of the car, or wherever desired. This pedestal or frame is provided with side brackets A2 and central sleeve A3, terminating in the shoulder c3, and with recoil-cylinders A4, symmetrically disposed relative to said sleeve. The said frame, including the central sleeve, the cylinders, and the side brackets, is practically cast in one, although it may be built up of several pieces, if desired.

The number of the recoil-cylinders may be varied at will, but theyshould preferably be symmetrically disposed around the central sleeve, so that there may be no tendency of the buffer to bite, due to unequal action on opposite sides. It would ordinarily be preferred -to have two of these recoil-cylinders arranged on opposite sides of the central sleeve, as shown in Fig. 4. These recoil-cylinders are provided on the interior of the bore with grooves A0, preferably parabolic near their smaller ends a0.

B represents a plunger which has secured thereto at b the plunger-head B', which plunger-head is preferably faced with rubber, leather, or other yielding material b. rounding this plunger isa return-spring C of sufficient strength to restore the plunger to the initial position when the same is released, the said initial position being shown in Figs. 1 and 2. `Owing to themechanical difficulties in securing a long spring made in one piece this spring C is preferably made in several sections separated by annular disks e, as shown in Fig. l. Surrounding this spring and provided with a shoulde1b2,against which the forward end of said spring engages, is the hollow guide-sleeve B2,which travels in the sleeve A3 of the framev A. The opposite ends of the compound spring C, it lwill be noted, bear against the shoulder b2 of the sleeve B2 and against the shoulder a3 of the sleeve A3.

The plunger is preferably made hollow, as shown, and there is secured or otherwise Surattached, as at d, to the rear end thereof the heel-piece T, which is shouldered, as at d', to bear against the front face of the cross-head E, ,which cross-head is firmly secured to said heel-piece by means of the nut D. The piston-rods F are secured to this cross-head E by means of the lock-nuts f, and these pistonrods extendV forward through the usual stuffing-boxes into the recoil-cylinders A4, the said piston-rods terminating inthe pistons F and the front ends of the piston-rods being hollowed out, as at f', to receive the buffer-lugs g to keep the system from returning to position with a blow, which lugs project forward from the cylinder-head Gr, screwed into the cylinder A4, as at g2. For convenience in screwing in said cylinder-heads the latter are provided with angular bosses g to engage a Wrench.

The cylinders A4 are preferably filled with a mixture of water and glycerin, this not being liable to be frozen under ordinary temperatures,or other suitable fluid may be adopted, if desired.

It will be evident from inspecting the drawings that if a train strike the plunger B it will press the same backward, dragging the piston-rods rearward and causing the fluid in the cylinders to flow from the rear side of the piston to the front side through the parabolic grooves A0 and gradually checking the motion of the plunger until when the piston reaches the end of the said parabolic grooves the incompressible fluid resists the further travel of the pistons and the plunger is brought to a stop.

By making the parts of sufficient strength and by proper adjustment of the size of the grooves A0 it will be possible to stop a rapidly-moving train within four feet, more or less, and thus to prevent the train from breaking down the buffers and running off the rails into the station, as occasionally happens in practice.

Vhile the improved buffer is better adapted for station use, it still may be applied to individual cars and in place of the springoperated buffer now generally in use. Thus the buffer shown in Fig. Il maybe turned upside down and bolted underneath the ordinary car, as is now done with spring-buffers.

The various cylinders should be kept full of the Huid, and ordinary means for replenishing same (not shown) may be provided.

It will be seen that by having the recoilcylinders symmetrically grouped around a central buffer there will be no tendency to drag the buffer out of line, causing the same to bind or bite. It will be also evident that there is a straight pull backward on the piston-rods instead of a compressive strain of the same, and thus they may be made of comparatively light material.

IVhile I have shown two grooves A0 011 opposite sides of each cylinder, these grooves may be single or the number may be increased to three or more, as may be desired.

The various otheradvantages of the hereindescribed apparatus would readily suggest themselves to any practical mind.

It will also be found that various changesmight be lnade in details of the apparatus which could be used without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

l. A hydraulic buffer comprising a frame provided with a central sleeve and recoil-cylinders symmetrically disposed about said sleeve, of a plunger projecting through said sleeve, a cross-head secured to the rear end of said plunger and piston-rods for the pistons in the recoil-cylinders secured to said crosshead, substantially as described.

2. In a hydraulic buffer, the combination with a frame provided with a central sleeve and recoil-cylinders symmetrically grouped about said sleeve, of a plunger projecting for ward through said sleeve, a coil-spring surrounding said plunger and normally returning the same to the initial position, a crosshead secured to the rear end of said plunger, piston-rods secured to said cross-head and pistons mounted in said recoil-cylinders and secured to said piston-rods, substantially as described.

3. In a hydraulic buffer, the combination with a frame provided with a central sleeve, of recoil-cylinders grouped about said sleeve, pistons mounted in said recoil-cylinders, piston-rods secured to said pistons and projecting to the rear, a plunger mounted in said central sleeve, a spring normally returning said plunger to the forward or initial position, and a cross-head secured to said plunger and' to the rear end of said piston-rods, substantially as described.

4. A hydraulic buffer comprising a frame provided with a central sleeve and recoil-cylinders symmetrically disposed 'about said sleeve with parabolic grooves in said recoilcylinders, of a plunger projecting through said sleeve, a cross-head secured to the rear end of said plunger and piston-rods for the pistons in the recoil-cylinders secured to said cross-head, substantially as described.

5. In a hydraulic bulfer, the combination with a frame provided with a central sleeve and recoil-cylinders symmetrically grouped about said sleeve with parabolic grooves on the interior of said recoil-cylinders, of a plunger projecting forward through said sleeve, a coil-spring surrounding said plunger and normally returning the same to the initial position, a cross-head secured to the rear end of said plunger, piston-rods secured to said crosshead and pistons mounted in said recoil-cylinders and secured to said piston-rods, substantially as described.

6. In a hydraulic buEer, the combination with a frame provided with a central sleeve of recoil-cylinders grouped about said sleeve with one or more grooves cut in the inner wall of each of said cylinders,pistons mounted in said recoil-cylinders, piston-rods secured to said pistons and projecting to the rear, a plunger mounted in said central sleeve and projecting forward therefrom, a spring normally returning said plunger to the forward or initial position, and a cross-head secured to said plunger and to the rear end of said piston-rods, substantially as described.

7.' In a hydraulic buifer, the combination with a frame provided with a central sleeve and recoil-cylinders symmetrically grouped about said sleeve, of a plunger projecting forward through said sleeve, a guide-sleeve inclosing the forward portion of said plunger and held thereon, a coil-spring surrounding said plunger and bearing against shoulders on said sleeve and said guide-sleeve and normally returning the plunger to the initial position, a cross-head secured to the rear end of said plunger, piston-rods secured to said cross-head and pistons mounted in said recoilcylinders and secured to said piston-rods, substantially as described.

IOO

IIO

8. In a hydraulic buffer, the combination with a frame provided with a central sleeve, of recoil-cylinders grouped about said sleeve with one or more grooves in the inner walls of each of said cylinders, pistons mounted in said recoil-cylinders, piston-rods secured to said pistons and projecting to the rear, a plunger mounted in said central sleeve, a guide# sleeve inclosing the forward portion of said plunger and held thereon and passing rearwardly into said central sleeve, a spring interposed between said guide-sleeve and said central sleeve and normally returning said plunger to the forward or initial position, and a cross-head secured to said plunger and to I5 the rear end of said piston-rods, substantially as described. l

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THEODORE C. FENTON.

Witnesses:

I. K. SEYMOUR, J L. LATIMER. 

